Friday, 9 December 2011

Following on from my last Introducing... post, here's another ex-Won Mississippian who's gone solo! This time 'round, it's the turn of founding member Rob Wilkinson to take centre stage with his Secret Gang Handshakes project. With an album and a brilliant EP out now, what better time to hear what he has to say for himself...

Kowalskiy: Who are Secret Gang Handshakes?

Rob: Is Me!! and whoever else is in the room. Anyone who is within hailing distance is invited along for the ride. (Live shows often incorporate improvised percussion on tables and glasses by the audience.)

Kowalskiy: How would you describe 'your sound'?

Rob: "Lo-fi slow-core dark-gospel" is how one promoter described it and I quite like that. I have a bit of a kitchen sink approach to writing songs. I start with the lyrics and find sounds that tell the story best. Usually this happens at 4am, as quietly as possible in my armchair that looks out onto the North Sea - LITERALLY RIGHT OUTSIDE MY WINDOW! The view from my house deserves a full writer's credit for everything I do.

Kowalskiy: PLUG AWAY!!!

Rob: I have an album (Gravity Defiant) and an e.p. (We Go A-waltzin') available to download on a pay-what-you-like scheme on Bandcamp. I also have a cupboard full of old Won Mississippi c.d.'s that are looking for a good home.

Rob: I'm will be performing live again in the New Year - probably from March onward as I'm in the middle of producing my first play. I will be jumping on bar-room tables all over Scotland next year and hopefully a few house shows, too. I'm working on album No.2 at the minute and also looking to start a new band with some other music refugees in town. This is all dependent on what's on TV, how scary the newspaper headlines are and if I can get someone to look after my rabbits while I'm gone! (Big shout out to my homies, "Tilly and Toots" y'all!)

That may well be the first rabbit 'shout out' we've had on here. Possibly the last too! While we wait for Rob to get album two finished, you can grab his debut, and his free EP, over here.

Really looking forward to this! Played with Won Mississippi way back when I was a nipper in Galashiels...bought their album then our singer promptly stole it off me - been meaning to replace it ever since.